Charles E W Bean, Diaries, AWM38 3DRL 606/275/1 - 1918 - 1938 - Part 12

Mrs Canet

10 June 1918 H.N.

No. 10491             RUPANYUP            5th Nov 1937

Official Historian

Victoria Barracks

Paddington N.S.W.

Dear Sir

Unfortunately I had my home

burned down about four days ago,

therefore I lost all my records & diaries

but, altho' I never talk war & have 

never written about this particular

stunt, I still have quite a vivid

recollection of all that happened on

that particular night as far as I

am personally concerned! --

On the night of 10th, 11th June 1918 @ 9.45p.m.

a barrage was started by out artillery & we, the

25th Batt Inf. went over the top. It was 

the duty of my Coy to reach a spot near

a lone tree & as my Coy Commander Capt

Bũttner was hit just as he jumped on

the top of our trench, as also were all

other officers & several men of the Coy.

We happened to be in line with two

German machine guns, which were doing all

the damage & which were firing between two

 

 

(2)                               RUPANYUP
. .. . ..  . . . . . 193

fields of wheat. The position of my Coy 'C' was

second from the right near the 27 Bn.

The German were holding a continuous trench

with strongholds about fifty yards in front

consisting of broken trench, this strongholds

were occupied by machine finely built men 

some with bayonets & others with machine guns

& all wearing medals. I was hit in the 

hand not long after hopping over the top,

my rifle stock was splintered also, & my

right pocket of my tunic was torn away 

by machine gun bullets, luckily the five

Mills bombs which I had in my

entrenching tool bag at the back were

still intact.

I was again hit as I & a few others

got too far ahead of our barrage, & just 
after jumping the barb wire I saw about 

10 or 12 Germans standing with their

bayonets & on guard, it was fairly dark

by this time & it was only by the

flashes of the bursting shells that I could

see, however, the shell which burst above

scattered these few Fritzers, a piece of this

shell entered my shoulder & bowled me over

 

 

(3)                           RUPANYUP
............193

I immediately sprung up & we then proceeded

forward as the shell had done deadly

work with the outpost. It was here

that I noticed the two machine guns which

had taken toll of my men early in the 

piece, so I sent word around to the 

Company NCO's, no officers by myself being

left in the Coy, to steady up for a while

until the barrage lifted a bit & I went

through the dark & heavy haze of smoke

& bombed the machine gun posts, which 

were not very busy at the moment. I then

went back & collected the men & went

forward with practically no more

casualties & dug in on the line where

we were supposed to advance to, by this

time I could only muster 36 men, our

right & left wings did not get the full

distance allotted to them, which left us

the furthest out of a half mile.

When we arrived at the German's proper 

trench (prior to teaching our objective) the

Fritzers had retreated leaving many dead &

wounded behind, they must have been in

great disorder, as two young Germans, later in

 

 

(4)                           RUPANYUP
.............193

the night, came through with mail & rations,

& were terribly surprised to find us there.

I sent the two prisoners back to Bn Hdqrs

with the mail, several prisoners having been

sent back during the stunt.

The platoon which was almost

annihilated was on the left of the Bn.

& was led by Lieut. ("Bluey") Bedson & I

think they crossed the Bray Corbie Road.

 

 

10544.

1 December 1937.

G.L. Cromie, Esq., D.S.O.,

Rupanyup,

Victoria.

Dear Mr. Cromie,

Many thinks for your interesting letter. If it is

not trespassing too much on your good nature, I should be glad

If you would help me with two points:

First, when you mention seeing the German group after

jumping the barbed wire, are you speaking of our barbed wire or

theirs?

Second, in F.M. Cutluck's account of the attack it is

said that you were closely supported y two sergeants, one of

whom was mortally wounded in the attack. I take it that these

were the N.C.O.'s to whom you passed the word to hold up the

troops until the barrage advanced.

Again thanking you for your help,

I am, Yours sincerely,

C.E.W. Bean.

 

 

III Corps

Aust. Corps

XIX Corps    -- for information

1.   Your attention is called to the extract (see below)

from a German captured on the 19th inst. in Ville-sur-Anore.

2.   This extract must not be reproduced in your Summary.

(sgd) V. Vivian

Lieutenant-Colonel

General Staff, Fourth Army.
Fourth Army (Intelligence)  

23rd May 1918

EXTRACT REFERRED TO ABOVE

213th Inf. Bde.      Bde H.Q.

107th Div.               18.5.18

BRIGADE ORDER

According to information received from the Division,

the reports of agents concerning an attack on our positions

W. of the Ancre have been confirmed by aeroplane reports,

and information obtained from wireless and power buzzer.

It must be reckoned that the enemy will renew his attack 

on both sides of the Bray-Corbie road in conjunction with

this undertaking.

(sgd)   von Dunker

 

[*Cutlacks a/c*]

20/5/18

24th Bn. --- Plan. :  D Coy pushed eastwards north of river

contemporaneously with 22nd Bn attack 2a.m.  A and B Coys provided 
force which spread out time of posts flanking southwards

through marshes. Engineers protected by infantry patrols 

during xxxxxxxxxxxx two night before the attack put up bridges

at 25a1.5 and x 25a2.5. During the early part of the night of attack 

constructed third bridge at 25b2.5 and attempted to put one

up at 25a95.30 but several casualties from machine gun

fire very close during work on this last and it had to be

abandoned.

This m.g. fire came from guns xxxxxx cleverly hidden

in positions in marshes at about x 25a8.2. After 24th had

reached objective line fronting east north of river EGERTON

(platoon officer) or 24th had job of cleaning up these two

machine gun nests south of river.

(N.B. Have no note of what coy EGERTON belonged to or

how many men he had with him. In last stage in village

he had xxxxx seven men.)

EGERTON did this in performing his part in establishing the

flanking line of posts in the marshes. He had to make contact

with the 21st Bn east of VILLE but from 25b9.6 due south to

edge of town is impassable marsh rendering actual contact 
unnecessary. EGERTON captured two machine gunsnesss in position

described above --- first one nearer the third bridge and

then by envelopment the other which was a little further east

and near where xx the fourth bridge was to have bn built.

During the morning of the x 19th the fourth brdge was thrown

across in the intended position to facilitate communication.

While bombardment was still on VILLE EGERTON and his

men were still lying in wait in marshes north of town especially 
along track running north in 25c and a. Once they saw

a party of Boches coming out from the shelled village towards 

them along this track. xxxxxxxx Surprised and dispersed them

and the enemy fled back to the shelled village.

Some time after barrage lifted EGERTON (who was not

supposed to take part in mopping up) heard the firing going on

in northern part of village near him (see 23rd account) and e

went in to see what was up. They made their way along houses 

beside track running south into village (E25 a and c), moving

along right hand side. Passed one ruin and saw a mob of Bochs

running from the next --- the large house mentioned by Wiltshire

of 23rd. These Germans ran away from them towards a small

detached house nearer the church. EGERTON'S men fired and

dropped a couple of them. He and the others pursued them. He 

got to the small house, looked through hole in wall (this

appears to be same hole described by Lowe of 13rd) and saw

5 or 6 Germans inside. One nearest had his back to him in

a tempting position. He announced his arrival by shooting the

 

2

 

man through the behind with a revolver. Then there was great

excitement. The Fritzes ran about like scalded cats. One tried 

to get up the chimney. The others tried to jump over small

sandbagged partition between the room of the cottage. In all

EGERTON shot through the hole five Germans. Then German officer

wearing pince-nez suddenly came round the corner, started back

on seeing EGERTON and fell into arms of one of EGERTON's men

coming up behind him. EGERTON distinctly says it was one of

his men arrested this German officer. In his own words

"the prisoners we took seemed to be wrenched from our hands 

by the 23rd who came up and said something about their belonging 
to them as they (the  Germans) had already surrendered once

and then revoked. = " EGERTON walked away for a bit and when

he came back and saw German officer lying on the ground. Wiltshire

of 23rd ordered the men to let him up and then shot him. 24th

thought it was rather cold-blooded. (They had not however

heard of the German treachery at that time).

24th captured 4 m.g. in the marshes in all.

23rd Bn. --- Were to mop up by entering by kinked road from WNW.

For this job they pit in their raiding platoon, 22men under

Lts Lowe (in charge) and Smith. This platoon was always raiding 
in NML and was a sort of picked troop. Two other platoons 

were back near Bn HQ handy in case required. With xxxxxxxxxx

mopping up platoon xxxx was Bn Sig Off. Lt Wiltshire, who

begged leave to go with them. Major Bateman at first refused

but Wiltshire got his consent on score of making communications 

right into village_ which he did in the event, and then

joined in the fighting.

Lowe manoeuvred the men very cleverly at the start.

About 25c3.6 a German trench crossed the road and was a

strong defence to entrance to village. Knew there was a m.g. 

or two there. While arty concentration still on village crept

with men to within fifty yards ofour fire. On left of trench

sheltered actually under wall of oneof village buildings being

bombarded. At instant of lifting rushed the trench from

front and flank. Heard German gunner shoot bolt home as ran.

Gunner shot and position taken immediately with three guns

1 officer and 20 o.r. ;  a fourth m.g. also taken on right of 

road and a fifth found disabled near entrance of village. Lowe

made remark that Germans had apparently abandoned it as disabled 
but our men soon put it right and used it on the Boches.

Fourth gun captured in this wise --- lewis gun held it in front

while Lowe and two others got behind and shot gunner. Remainder

(1 officer and 12 men) then surrendered.

From buildings north of church there was a sniping

going on. Lowe's men made for a small detached house in paddock 

north of church whence some Germans r had run. Lowe and some

men followed them, reached this house,. As got to house one

 

 

3

of his men said to Lowe "Don't go round corner there Sir they

have shot one man. " This man was Cpl Flynn f Lowe's, a man 

much loved b all the others. They felt his death severly.

Hargreaves (?) another man was also badly wounded by sniper.

Lowe did not go round corner but into house and looked thro

hole in wall on far side of it towards huse (abt xx 25 yds away)

from which Germans were firing.

As soon as he put his eye near 

hole several bombs fell near it. Uncertain of how many Germans

opposed to him and decided retreat from isolated house and 

sent back to Bn for two waiting platoons. Which did. Men lay

up near church. Smith was with Lowe.

Meanwhile, Wiltshire with others of Lowe's platoon

had worked around to east and came out facing GermanVs'b

house, looking down track running straight towards it westwards. 
At the end of this track could see not all the house but

part of it on the right and a xx low garden wall, facing

him, somewhat damaged by shell fire. There was a gap in it.

While W. was looking at this gap, a German officer came and 

stood at the gap with his hands up. He was clearly seen from

waist upwards and wore pince-nez. W. stepped out into road

and at same time one of the men did the same and pointed a

rifle at the German. W. brushed the rifle down and said "Don't

shoot he has surrendered." The man replied "I don't like the

look of th bastard." Next instant the German officer suddenly

dropped his right hand and fired a revolver at the two. Simultaneously 
a bomb was thrown at them from behind the low

wall. W. and his men didged for cover and W. got his lewis-gunner
lying on the ground and chipping with his gun at the

base of the wall. About half a drum was enough to perforate

the brickwork : that fired, several Germans got up and ran 

across the yard.

Shortly after this, before W.'s party had made

much nearer approach, W. suddenly saw the Germans running

away towards the direction of the church. He could not get 

a decent shot at them, but saw their heads bobbing. Shouted

to his sergeant to make for the church and try and cut them

off while he himself ran down the track for the house. Got to

the house and then ran on towards little detached house in

the open. Saw in the distance the German officer coming backwards 
out of the doorway being pummelled by Smith. Shouted 

to Smith and his men --- "Don't kill him, he's mine." Reached

house, pulled G. officer off the ground, took him to show

him Flynn's dead body, and shot him there with revolver. W. 

said German officer expressed great fear in his features as 

soon as he saw W. come up --- recognised him again.

[Lowe commenting on story said it was Smith rushed

the house when the Germans got to it. Said he did not see

EGERTON there. EGERTON'S evidence seems however very reliable. Fnd]
xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Two platoons of 23rd sent for arrived to find fight

all over. Men wandered about town having a look at the sights

Two of them, who had never been in the yline before, got into

cottage which had been German signal quarters. There was a 

piano there and they started playing it. After they had been

 

 

4

playing it for a bit they suddenly saw trapdoor in the floor

open and up came Boche Sergeant-major and ten men surrendering. 
The men said for the first moment hard to say which side

more embarrassed. They took them prisoner.

This seems to have been about 7 a.m. Lowe and others

are very uncertain as to times of different incidents. It 

seems clear however that German resistance north of church

was not subdued till about six thirty.

The strength of the German party in the xxxxxxxxxxx

house in the north of the village seems to have been about 1

officer and twelve men.

Wiltshire's party mopped up two or three cellars

full of Germans throwing down bombs. No fighting much at 

these places.

23rd estimate that with this platoon and at cost

1 man killed and two wounded they took 47 prisoners, killed 

about 50, and wounded 37 Germans. (? so many killed and 

wounded. Prisoners total is right). These figures certainly 

include party which EGERTON helped to subdue).

Got Wiltshire to draw a rough picture of scene of 

fight, which I have copied hereunder :

Hand drawn diagram - see original document